Peace has returned to LASK.
“One or the other background noise” had faded away, said head coach Dominik Thalhammer at the kick-off event of the Bundesliga.
Of course, he was referring to the departure of assistant coach Emanuel Pogatetz and Vice-President Jürgen Werner. After a bad championship round and the chair back in the club, however, the Linzers exercise restraint in defining their sporting goals. Although the offensive promises more clout.
In contrast to the competition – where several newcomers are still expected in some cases – the team has been almost complete since the start of training. And Thalhammer told the APA: “I am convinced that we are better positioned than last year, especially on the offensive.” With the returnees Mamoudou Karamoko and Marko Raguz you have more alternatives.
The latter had scored again in the first test match after seven goals in 13 games last season and an eight-month injury break. Winger Andreas Gruber will not return until autumn – also after a cruciate ligament rupture. “The players have to get fit first,” said the 50-year-old, curbing expectations. “If that works well, we’ll have a very, very good team.”
“Offensive we have our qualities”
With Johannes Eggestein, the athletes “of course lost a top striker”, explained captain Gernot Trauner. In adequate quality, Florian Flecker and Christoph Monschein were added, and Patrick Schmidt, who was last borrowed, is back – and we know about their strengths. “We have our qualities on the offensive, we are always good for a goal.”
Despite the offensive penetration, Thalhammer was cautious about the season goal as usual. As in recent years, they want to be among the top four. The question about the serial champion’s first challenger was answered briefly: “Rapid.” The Hütteldorfer are in a comparable situation. With Dejan Ljubicic and Yusuf Demir, two important departures face selective reinforcements – analogous to the Linzers who, along with Eggestein, had to react to the departure of Reinhold Ranftl.
In the new coaching team together with Andreas Wieland and Rene Gartler, LASK wants to offer again “what has distinguished LASK in recent years”: high intensity and dynamism. “Ball possession football is actually not our goal. We want to be intense against the ball and develop with the ball.” For the good pressing, the Thalhammer-Elf was praised by their coach after the last test match against 1. FC Heidenheim (1-0 success).
For defense chief Trauner, defensive stability was in the foreground in the first few weeks of preparation: “We missed that a bit in the spring. There were too many games in which we conceded many goals.” With 41 goals conceded, they had the worst defense of the top four.
When the team at times only exerted pressure later in preparation for the Bulgarians from Ludogorets Razgrad, organizational problems and a lack of access became apparent. The result was a 3-0 defeat. “We have to work very, very hard on this aspect over the next few weeks,” the coach summed up. Thalhammer would like to “start with the very good autumn”. At that time, his team was in second place before the winter break. This would probably surpass the cautious objective.
Textquelle: © APA
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